(ISC)2 Certified in Cybersecurity Practice Exam

Which encryption protocol is commonly used to secure communication over the Internet?

1. IPSec

2. PPTP

3. SSL/TLS

4. L2TP

The correct answer is: SSL/TLS

The choice of SSL/TLS as the encryption protocol commonly used to secure communication over the Internet is well-founded due to its widespread application and robust security features. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and its successor TLS (Transport Layer Security) are cryptographic protocols designed to provide secure communication channels over a computer network. SSL/TLS is particularly prominent in web communications, facilitating secure transactions between web servers and browsers. This includes the handling of sensitive data, such as credit card information and personal details, ensuring that any information exchanged is encrypted and protected from eavesdroppers. Websites utilize SSL/TLS to establish a secure session indicated by "HTTPS," the secure version of HTTP. The popularity of SSL/TLS is attributed to its strong encryption algorithms, support for a variety of authentication mechanisms, and the flexibility to be used across various applications, not just web traffic. This makes it a go-to choice for securing Internet communication. While other protocols like IPSec, PPTP, and L2TP have their specific use cases, they are generally more specialized. IPSec is mainly used for securing IP communications, often in virtual private networks (VPNs), whereas PPTP and L2TP are protocols primarily designed for establishing VPNs. These protocols, while providing